Insulating-support.



A. J. HALL.

INSULATING SUPPORT.

APPLICATION man JUNE 8. 1917.

Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

INVENTOR Hal/ WITNESSES 5M. a 025%.

WW /647v.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR J. HALL, OF WILKINSBUBG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR. TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

INSULATING-SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 16, 1918..

Application filed June 8, 1917. Serial No. 173,466.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. HALL, a subject of the Kingof Great Britain, and a resident of Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Insulating-Supports, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to insulating supports for electrical conductors and it has special relation to rigid supports that, in themselves, possess sufiicient flexibility whereby the care required for making fine adjustments and strict alinements between the several members of a structure with which the supports are to be employed may be greatly minimized.

An object of my invention is to provide an insulating support that is economical to construct and readil applicable to the fixtures with which 1t is to be employed. Moreover, the insulating body of my insulating support, which is usually made of porcelain and, therefore, susceptible to injury arising from mechanical stresses and strains, is substantially relieved of mechanical forces that may arise by reason of defective adjustments and inaccurate alinements between the associated members of an assembled structure.

To more fully understand my invention, reference may be had to the following description and the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a side view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of an insulating support embodying a form of my invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a front view, in elevation, of a portion of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, the insulating support comprises a bracket 1 which is provided with a lower bearing surface 2 that is adapted to abut against a member or fixture 3 of a structure of which the support is a component part. An insulating member 4, preferably made of porcelain, 18 secured to the bracket 1 by means of cement 5. A cap 6 is cemented to the upper portion of the insulator 4 and is provided with an up- .wardy extending lug 7 and a horizontal bearing surface 8.

By referring to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be observed that the lug 7 is provided with a curved contact surface 9 against which an inflexible conductor 3, comprising another member or fixture of the built-up structure, abuts.

The insulating body 4, which is made of porcelain, is unable to resist any severe mechanical stresses or strains and, therefore, it-

is desirable to provide means for relieving it of any stresses that might arise by reason of defective adjustment or imperfect alinement between the two members 3 and 3 of the assembled structure. To this end, the portion of the bracket 1 upon which the bearing surface 2 is formed is provided with a plurality of tapered bolt holes 10 through which bolts 11 project. The bolts 11 rigidly secure the member 3 to the bracket 1 and, by reason of the tapered holes 10, permit the contact surfaces of the two abutting members to naturally engage with each other.

The inflexible conductor 3 abuts against the rounded contact surface 8 formed on the lug 7, and good electrical contact is assured by reason of the surface 8 permittiu the insulating support to naturally adjust itself whereby any mechanical stresses or strains, tending to arise by reason of inaccurate alinement between the members 3 and 3, may be substantially eliminated. The lug 7 is also provided with a tapered bolt hole 12 through which a bolt 13 projects in order to rigidly secure the member 3 to the cap member 6.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that a predetermined degree of movement of the insulating support is permitted during the assembl of the built-up structure, thus obviating t enecessity of exactly alinin the members 3 and 3 with each other in or( er to insure that the insulator 1 shall not be subjected to undue stresses. The assembled structure may, therefore, be assembled without exercising the great care which has heretofore been necessary in order to relieve insulating supports om internal mechanical stresses and strains.

While I have shown one embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that other modifications may be -made therein without departing fromthe spirit and scope .of the appended claims.

her supported on said insulator and provided with an upwardly projecting lug having a curved contact surface which is adapted to abut against an inflexible conductor that is to be supported.

2. An insulating support comprising a bracket, an insulator secured thereto, a member rigidly connected to said insulator and provided with a curved contact surface which is adapted to abut against an inflexible member that is to be supported thereby.

3. An insulating support comprising a bracket, an insulator secured thereto, a cap cemented to said insulator, said cap being provided with a curved contact surface and a tapered hole, whereby an inflexible conductor may be secured thereto, and a bolthole, whereby a second inflexible member of a structure may be secured thereto, and bolts for said tapered holes.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 29th day of May,

ARTHUR J. HALL. 

